


Royal Duties

by koganeisms (reiirae)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Galrentines 2018, M/M, Role Reversal, Royalty AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 12:19:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13681554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reiirae/pseuds/koganeisms
Summary: My Galrentines gift for akira-ne-nekora! Happy V-Day





	Royal Duties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nekora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekora/gifts).



Long diplomatic meetings were Keith’s least favourite part of being a prince. There were are lot of benefits to his role, that was something he couldn’t deny, but some of his royal obligations were downright infuriating. Often he’d remain silent throughout, only speaking when he was asked a question, and try his hardest not to fall asleep halfway through. He fell asleep during a meeting once when he was younger, and he’d been quickly taught not to repeat that behaviour.

Today’s meeting wasn’t scheduled to be half as long as it had ended up being, dragging out to be painfully long. Keith had lost focus around twenty minutes in, vaguely nodding whenever anyone made eye contact with him and hoped nobody would direct any questions towards him. He was lucky - nobody did, so his lack of concentration was undetectable. 

The meeting thankfully drew to a close after three or so hours, allowing Keith to escape to his rooms. He sighed as he perched on the window sill, staring out across the expansive gardens far below. The gardeners had done an exceptional job, as always - only the best was acceptable for the king and his family - and the warm, sunny weather made the lush gardens look all the more appealing.

He shrugged off his thick cloak, carefully draping it on the bed for his maid to find before returning to the window, placing a palm against the window pane. The glass was cool and smooth under his fingers, contrary to the warm weather beyond. It was nice - grounding. Sometimes their long strategy meetings would leave Keith feeling somewhat dizzy, with just how complex running an entire kingdom was. There were many factors to consider, things Keith would never have thought of, as well as keeping rivals and rebels at bay. Often, Keith would find himself worrying he would never be able to take on the role of king half as successfully. He would have a team of trusted advisors, though, who would hopefully take some of the pressure from his shoulders.

He turned at the sound of his door creaking open, relaxing upon the sight of a tall, white-haired male entering. “Hello, Lotor. Did you need something?” Keith asked, turning fully to face the male.

“No, sir. I came to see if you did.” he responded, locking eyes with the young prince.

Keith shook his head, raising an eyebrow. “You’re no servant, Lotor. Don’t lower yourself to such a rank.” he chided, stepping closer. “You are of a much higher status than that.” 

“I am still at your service.” Lotor replied dutifully, despite visibly relaxing and tilting his head to one side. “You didn’t seem to be paying much attention in that meeting.”

“You could tell?” Keith asked, eyes widening slightly. 

“You’re a prince, not an actor.” Lotor responded dryly, rolling his eyes. 

Keith yawned, shaking his head as he threw himself down on the end of the bed. “Unlike you, I find strategy planning extremely dull and difficult to follow. You know I have no interest in handling the kingdom the way _he_ does. I have no need for all those troops.”

“You might not want to follow his approach, but do remember those troops are providing me with a job.” Lotor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He’s going figure out you’re not paying attention, you know. And I’m sure we can both guess he’ll be extremely angry when he learns that.” 

“I don’t know how to pretend I am interested in what I am not.” Keith replied, falling back onto the bed dramatically. “I would prefer if he would at least attempt diplomacy first. Half the time he rushes in without bothering to even try talking to people.”

“You're exactly the same, Keith.” Lotor snapped, eyes widening when he realised what he’d said. “Keith, I-“

“Don’t you _dare_ compare me to that man ever again.” Keith growled, sitting bolt upright and glaring at Lotor. “We may have similar personality traits, but we are nothing alike.” 

Lotor nodded silently, biting the inside of his cheek. “I’m sorry, Keith, I didn’t mean to say it like that.” he apologised. 

“It’s fine,” Keith sighed, slowly standing back up. “May we take this conversation outside? I don’t wish to stay indoors when the weather is so nice, and we have such gorgeous gardens at our disposal.” 

“Of course, sir.” Lotor replied, moving to hold the door open and gesturing for Keith to exit. The shorter male smiled at his companion before leaving the room, glancing behind to check Lotor was following.

They walked through the long hallways in silence, only speaking occasionally to others passing them. Most people would stop and bow for Keith, with an occasional nobleman or woman stopping to greet him. Lotor would stand silently by his side - even if Keith showed him friendliness, he knew his place was not among nobility. 

Once they finally reached the gardens, though, Lotor visibly relaxed. Here there were no obligations, no rules - castle etiquette barely applied to the outdoor areas, particularly when they were alone like this. Lotor could speak freely to his companion - dare he say friend - out here, without worrying how people may view their friendship between the two strict classes they came from. Keith was happy to see Lotor so relaxed, much less afraid of judgement from others.

For a few minutes, the pair kept up their silence. Keith was distracted in admiring the crimson red roses blooming at the ends of each flowerbed, the soft petals perfectly coloured and showing no signs of wilting or decay. He crouched beside it to admire the bright flowers closer, a soft smile gracing his features. The royal gardeners had crafted an exquisite arrangement of the flowerbeds, somehow managing to make each one unique whilst still conforming to the overall theme of the gardens. But it was a necessity to have pristine gardens, as when summer reached its’ height it was customary to host garden parties for the friends of the king and queen. Keith had never really cared for such parties, but it would be rude for him not to attend. 

“It’s been surprisingly good weather recently, hasn’t it?” Lotor remarked, following Keith’s eyeline and focussing on the roses before him. “Those roses are doing well, considering the lack of rain in the last few weeks.” 

“They are cared for well.” Keith replied, straightening back up and smiling at his companion. “After all, my mother wouldn’t tolerate anything less. She’s very picky about her flowers.”

Lotor laughed, shaking his head. “I am aware. When we were preparing for the king’s birthday celebrations, she had the flowers sent back four times before they were to her liking.” 

“That sounds just like her.” Keith giggled, shaking his head in disbelief. “I suppose she just wants everything to look pretty and presentable. She always used to nag at me for looking scruffy.” 

“You were not always looking your best as a child, I must admit.” Lotor replied, smirking at his friend. 

Keith rolled his eyes, pushing a lock of hair from his violet eyes. “At least I’ve matured a little since then.” 

“Only a little.” Lotor teased, laughing at Keith’s offended expression.

“I can’t believe you could be so cruel.” Keith cried exaggeratedly, lightly punching Lotor’s chest. “I think you’ll find I’m a lot more prim and proper these days.”

“Of course. So proper that you’re seconds away from sleeping through meetings.” Lotor replied airily, raising an eyebrow. 

The prince groaned, turning away from his friend and continuing to walk alone. “It’s not my fault their so boring. How can anyone stand to talk about battle strategy for hours?” 

“Surprisingly, it’s my speciality.” he responded dryly, rolling his eyes at the back of the prince’s head before speeding up to walk by his side once more. “You always seem occupied during those meetings.”

“Partially because they’re boring. Also because I have no idea how I’m going to be able to sit through those when I become king, let alone lead them. Strategy isn’t really my strong suit.” Keith confessed, biting his bottom lip. “What if I can’t do it?”

Lotor sighed softly. Part of him was glad Keith trusted him enough to confide in him like this, seemingly unafraid of any potential consequences should anybody accidentally overhear their conversation, but he worried for the young boy more. He was under extreme pressure everyday, knowing that someday he would have to take over as king. Running a kingdom wasn’t easy - just keeping the army in control was difficult enough for Lotor; he couldn’t imagine the immense control and decision-making skills required to run an entire kingdom smoothly. 

“I know you can do it. You are strong and smart, which are two extremely good qualities for a future king to have. There is plenty of time to learn the other skills you need - he is not going anywhere soon as it is.” Lotor reassured, fondness shining in his eyes. “Don’t doubt yourself so much - you are far more capable than you realise.” 

Keith nodded, smiling weakly. “Thank you, Lotor. I’m so lucky to have someone like you around.” 

Lotor felt his cheeks heat up at the statement, turning his face away from Keith’s. “N-No, please, I am only doing my job…” he protested, brushing his long hair out of his face. “You are my charge, as well as my closest friend. Of course I will be kind to you.” 

“I appreciate it.” Keith murmured, leaning against his companion’s side. “Sometimes I wish I wasn’t royalty, you know.” 

“Why so?” Lotor questioned, frowning slightly. 

“I can’t love who I want to love.”

Lotor felt his heartbeat quicken slightly at the boy’s words, forcing his surprise not to show on his face. He couldn’t let the prince realise his true feelings - it was improper for a guard to long for a royal - let alone a _prince_. “I don’t know what you mean,” he murmured, far too quickly. “You have a large selection of princesses who would offer you their hand in marriage any day.” 

The prince let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t care for any of those princesses. They’re not really my type. If I were to marry nobility, they’d most likely be male,” he replied casually. “Sadly, that will never be as long as he is still alive.” he muttered, venom seeping into his tone. 

“He won’t be in power forever, though,” Lotor reasoned, glancing down at the raven-haired prince. “Once you take over, surely you can allow same-sex marriage?” 

“Of course I will.” Keith muttered, sighing resignedly. “What if the person I love finds someone else before then, though?” he asked, keeping his eyes fixated on the bright petals of a poppy. 

Lotor frowned softly before placing a hand on his shoulder. “I hope for your sake he does not. Anybody who rejects you is out of their mind.” he stated firmly.

“Lotor...it’s wrong for me to even want this person. They’re not royal.” he mumbled shyly, still refusing to meet Lotor’s eyes. 

“Do you...do you mind telling me who it is?” Lotor asked quietly, finally catching Keith’s eye. “You know I would never pass that information along without your consent.” 

“It’s...it’s _you_ , Lotor. You’re the only one in this whole castle who’s ever shown me genuine kindness. Why wouldn’t I love you?” Keith blurted out, letting out a defeated sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-“

“No,” Lotor replied, unable to keep the shock from his voice as he spoke, “I’m not going to judge you, Keith. I-I understand why you feel the way you do, and I believe I feel that way towards you for the same reasons.”

“Y-You what?” Keith mumbled, the soft pink of his cheeks growing deeper and deeper as the minutes passed. “You...feel the same?”

“I have for many months, Keith. I just knew it would be wrong to tell you, and I had no intention to potential damage our friendship in such a way.” 

“You could’ve just told me!” Keith exclaimed, pouting. “Then I would never have been so worried!”

“It is not my place to have feelings for a prince, Keith.” Lotor reminded, shaking his head. “Right now, any kind of relationship is impossible, but when you become king...maybe you can make a better job of it.” he murmured.

Keith nodded, determination shimmering in his violet orbs. “Of course I will. And for now…” he trailed off, winking at Lotor before rising up onto his toes to press a kiss to Lotor’s cheek. “I can be affectionate when nobody is watching.”

Lotor quickly pushed Keith away, looking around them before fixing his attention back onto Keith. “You never know who could be watching, Keith. It is safer out here, yes, but someone could easily spot us from within the castle, even if they cannot hear what we are saying.” 

“I guess…” Keith murmured, looking down dejectedly. “Looks like you’ll have to visit my rooms a lot more.” he finished, the mischief returning to his eyes. “Nobody is allowed in there without my permission, so it’s safe.” 

“I suppose…but we must be quiet.” he reasoned, smiling down at the prince. “Fine. I shall come to see you later this evening, after training drills are finished.” 

“I’ll be waiting.” Keith promised, intertwining his long fingers with Lotor’s. The man’s hand was warm and calloused from years of swordfighting and combat, but the rough feeling was familiar. It was so distinctly _Lotor_ , and that gave Keith a sense of security. 

“I must go soon, Keith,” Lotor murmured softly, “I have to prepare myself for training drills, and there is just over an hour for me to do so.” 

“Fine…” Keith whined, sighing dramatically. “I’ll find something to occupy me for the lonely hours ahead.” 

“I will be with you sooner than you know, my love.” Lotor murmured, lifting Keith’s hand to kiss the back before carefully untangling his fingers. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Keith murmured, taken aback by Lotor’s romantic actions. “Stay safe.”

“I always do.” Lotor promised, smiling at the prince before turning on his heel and returning to the castle. Keith watched him walk away before turning to walk further into the gardens, admiring the rows of bright yellow and pink flowers, blooming elegantly amid small green and white plants. 

Even if their relationship had to be the castle’s best-kept secret, Keith couldn’t slow his racing heart. His status placed him above many others in society, making it seem wrong for him to court someone below his own class. To him, class had never been such a large issue to him, never being able to see the supposed negative impacts it had on a person - Keith had always believed a person should be with the person they love most, not the person who’s class matched theirs best. 

But maybe, in time, he could rewrite those rules. It was only a matter of time.


End file.
